Velt CRDT Best Practices

Comprehensive best practices guide for implementing real-time collaborative editing with Velt CRDT (Yjs), maintained by Velt. Contains 42 rules across 5 categories, prioritized by impact to guide automated code generation and debugging.

When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• Setting up Velt client and CRDT stores
• Integrating with Tiptap, BlockNote, CodeMirror, or ReactFlow
• Implementing real-time synchronization
• Managing version history and checkpoints
• Debugging collaboration or sync issues
• Testing multi-user collaboration

Rule Categories by Priority

Quick Reference

1. Core CRDT (CRITICAL)

• core-install - Install correct CRDT packages for your framework
• core-velt-init - Initialize Velt client before creating stores
• core-store-v2-api - v2 Use useStore<T> + useAwareness React hooks; createVeltStore v2 config (forceResetInitialContent, contentKey, userId, collection, logLevel); reactive status/sync/error
• core-v1-to-v2-migration - Migration table: useVeltCrdtStore → useStore (id → storeId, new status/sync/error/onError, useAwareness)
• core-store-create-vanilla - Use createVeltStore for non-React (entry point unchanged in v2)
• core-store-types - Choose correct store type (text/array/map/xml/xmltext)
• core-store-array - Array store: useStore/createVeltStore with type:'array', Array.isArray() guard, add/remove item patterns
• core-store-map - Map store: useStore/createVeltStore with type:'map', object guard, key-level update/delete patterns
• core-store-text - Text store: useStore/createVeltStore with type:'text', textarea binding, null coalesce with ?? ''
• core-store-xml - XML store: NEVER call update(); mutate via store.getXml() (Y.XmlFragment) + Yjs APIs; requires npm i yjs
• core-store-subscribe - Subscribe to store changes for remote updates
• core-store-update - Use update() method to modify values
• core-version-save - Save named version checkpoints
• core-encryption - Use custom encryption provider for sensitive data
• core-webhooks - Use webhooks to listen for CRDT data changes
• core-rest-api - Use REST API to retrieve CRDT data server-side
• core-activity-debounce - Use setActivityDebounceTime() to control how frequently batched CRDT editor activities are flushed
• core-activity-action-types - Use CrdtActivityActionTypes constant for type-safe CRDT activity filtering instead of raw strings
• core-message-stream - Use CrdtElement message-stream methods (pushMessage, onMessage, getMessages, getSnapshot, saveSnapshot, pruneMessages) for Yjs-backed collaborative editors
• core-debug-storemap - Use VeltCrdtStoreMap for runtime debugging
• core-debug-testing - Test with multiple browser profiles
• core-store-create-react - (v1 — DEPRECATED) useVeltCrdtStore for React; see core-v1-to-v2-migration

2. Tiptap Integration (CRITICAL)

• tiptap-install - Install Tiptap CRDT v2 packages
• tiptap-collaboration-manager - v2 Use useCollaboration / createCollaboration + CollaborationManager API
• tiptap-v1-to-v2-migration - Migration table: useVeltTiptapCrdtExtension → useCollaboration
• tiptap-disable-history - Disable Tiptap history to prevent conflicts
• tiptap-editor-id - Use unique editorId per instance
• tiptap-cursor-css - Add CSS for collaboration cursors
• tiptap-initial-content - Use HTML string format for initialContent
• tiptap-comments-integration - Integrate Velt Comments with Tiptap
• tiptap-nextjs-ssr - Next.js SSR considerations
• tiptap-testing - Test collaboration with multiple users
• tiptap-setup-react - (v1 — DEPRECATED) useVeltTiptapCrdtExtension for React; see migration rule
• tiptap-setup-vanilla - (v1 — DEPRECATED) createVeltTipTapStore for non-React; see migration rule

3. BlockNote Integration (HIGH)

• blocknote-install - Install BlockNote CRDT v2 packages
• blocknote-collaboration-manager - v2 Use useCollaboration / createCollaboration + CollaborationManager API
• blocknote-v1-to-v2-migration - Migration table: useVeltBlockNoteCrdtExtension → useCollaboration
• blocknote-editor-id - Use unique editorId per instance
• blocknote-testing - Test collaboration with multiple users
• blocknote-setup-react - (v1 — DEPRECATED) useVeltBlockNoteCrdtExtension; see migration rule

4. CodeMirror Integration (HIGH)

• codemirror-install - Install CodeMirror CRDT v2 packages
• codemirror-collaboration-manager - v2 Use useCollaboration / createCollaboration + CollaborationManager API
• codemirror-v1-to-v2-migration - Migration table: useVeltCodeMirrorCrdtExtension → useCollaboration
• codemirror-ycollab - Wire yCollab extension with manager.getCollaborationPrimitives()
• codemirror-editor-id - Use unique editorId per instance
• codemirror-testing - Test collaboration with multiple users
• codemirror-setup-react - (v1 — DEPRECATED) useVeltCodeMirrorCrdtExtension for React; see migration rule
• codemirror-setup-vanilla - (v1 — DEPRECATED) createVeltCodeMirrorStore for non-React; see migration rule

5. ReactFlow Integration (HIGH)

• reactflow-install - Install ReactFlow CRDT package
• reactflow-setup-react - Use useVeltReactFlowCrdtExtension
• reactflow-handlers - Use CRDT handlers for node/edge changes
• reactflow-editor-id - Use unique editorId per instance
• reactflow-testing - Test collaboration with multiple users

How to Use

Read individual rule files for detailed explanations and code examples:

rules/shared/core/core-install.md
rules/shared/tiptap/tiptap-disable-history.md

Each rule file contains:

• Brief explanation of why it matters
• Incorrect code example with explanation
• Correct code example with explanation
• Verification checklist
• Source pointer to Velt documentation

Compiled Documents

• AGENTS.md — Compressed index of all rules with file paths (start here)
• AGENTS.full.md — Full verbose guide with all rules expanded inline